Baton Rouge Business Report
Written by: Alexandria Burris
Following a national retail trend, Perkins Rowe has executed a short term lease with Varsity Sports to operate a holiday pop-up shop at the mixed-use development from Nov. 1 through Jan. 31.
The temporary shop will be located between the Paris Parker Salon & Spa and Anthropologie, says Varsity Sports owner Jenni Peters. It will have the same merchandise available at the store on Perkins Road.
“We’ll have a little bit more gift-oriented fashion,” she says.
Pop-ups are a growing trend in retail spaces across the country, especially in malls where major chains have closed and left vacant storefronts. Simon Property Group, the largest mall operator in the U.S., next month will unveil a platform for startup retailers to set up shop on a quarterly basis, CNBC reports.
Peters says Perkins Rowe manager, Trademark Property, approached her about opening the pop-up shop, which is a new venture for her.
“For holiday shopping, Perkins Rowe is just a hub of activity. It’s hard to say no to that,” says Peters, who also has stores in Mandeville, Metairie and New Orleans.
The Varsity Sports pop-up will have extended hours towards the weekend, closing at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
The holidays are traditionally a busy time for retailers like Peters, who says her store is even busier after Christmas as people make New Year’s resolutions to exercise more and the Louisiana Marathon looms.